Hough High rallies around football coach after cardiac arrest leaves him in ICU
The Hough High community is rallying around assistant football coach Darius Jones, who is fighting for his life in an uptown Charlotte hospital.
Jones, whom everybody calls “Coach DJ,” has been an assistant football coach for Hough for the past four years.
“And everybody loves him, man,” Hough head coach DeShawn Baker said. “He’s family.”
Jones, 35, suffered a cardiac arrest on May 24. He had just returned home after getting food for his family when he walked into his house, took a few steps and collapsed, Baker said.
His fiancé performed CPR on him.
“She brought him back,” Baker said of the coach who played football at Johnson C. Smith is a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
Jones is now at Carolinas Medical Center in the ICU and is using an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) machine to support his heart and lungs.
An update on the coach’s health
Jones posted a video on YouTube, explaining that he’d suffered cardiac arrest, along with giving an update on his health.
“Thank you for all the support,” he said. “It’s going to be a long journey, but I’m fighting. I’m a fighter and I’m going to do all I can do to get healthy. I appreciate you all supporting me and my family. It means the most to us.”
Jones’ cardiac arrest is the latest in a series of tragic incidents involving him and his family this year.
In March, his son, Drex, was seriously injured in a car accident, after bring struck by a driver who allegedly failed to stop for a school bus. Drex is recovering.
A few weeks later, Coach DJ lost his father.
A GoFundMe for DJ Jones’ family
Hough has started a GoFundMe account to help cover Jones’ medical bills, which are rising by the day.
On the website, the organizers wrote about how Jones continued to be a strong advocate for the school even after the incidents with his son and father.
“That is who DJ is,” they wrote. “Darius is more than a patient. He is a devoted father, loving partner, mentor, coach, and a respected leader across the Charlotte and Chicago communities and throughout the football world. He has spent years pouring into young people, guiding them toward brighter futures through football, education, discipline, and opportunity. Many have gone on to college, professional sports, and successful careers because he believed in them.
“He has always been someone others could count on. Now, he needs us.”
Jones future likely includes extensive rehabilitation, long-term heart support, and possibly a transplant.
“He’s been going through rough patch,” Baker said. “We’re just trying to do our part.”
Want to help?
Hough High has started a GoFundMe to help cover Coach DJ’s medical bills and family expenses. As of Wednesday afternoon, the account had raised nearly $17,000 towards its $28,000 goal. Tap here to view.
